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Parents

Watkins Health Services (WHS) has a very long history of keeping Jayhawks flying. In fact, the University started the health service for KU students in 1906. And the noted Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, was the University physician from 1912 to 1917. Since that time, we have grown to be one of the largest such facilities in the Big XII and the Midwest.

Today, we have an impressive staff, updated facilities and state-of-the art equipment and information systems. Our systems include an electronic health record system that provides a patient portal so that your student can communicate with us and receive information from us in a secure fashion. The student can even make appointments online, request prescription refills, and check other information we have on file.

Not only do we do our part in returning your student to good health as well as keeping your student healthy, we believe that part of our mission is to educate your student on matters that will make result in a better-prepared healthcare consumer!

If you are ever concerned about your Jayhawk, know that help is available! In addition to our clinical services, our HERO department offers individual consultations with students on alcohol or drug use, healthy sexuality, and nutrition. We also facilitate educational classes on how students can get and stay healthy on campus.

On occasion, students may feel overwhelmed or stressed. Depending upon the student’s condition, our providers may refer the student to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
And finally, since we are not open 24 hours, seven days per week we do have an excellent 24-hour Nurse Helpline to assist students with medical concerns even if we are closed. Any concerns that are called-in, will be passed along to our Nursing staff on the next business day and they will follow-up with the patient as-needed. All concerns and advice given are documented in the patient's medical record.

Our Services

For any services the student needs which we cannot provide in-house, our providers will make referrals to outside specialists who will keep us well-informed about the student’s treatment and progress.

Please note that we do not provide:

Inpatient care

Detoxification services

Long-term or intensive treatment for substance abuse disorders

Medication management of complex or unstable psychiatric disorders

Insurance Coverage / Billing

Because the potential for financial hardship is so great in unexpected health related situations, students at KU are strongly encouraged to have health insurance. Please refer to our Business and Insurance Office page for more details.

If your student has insurance coverage, it is essential that you and your student contact your carrier to find out how they would reimburse for any healthcare expenses billed by our facility. This will help you and your student to avoid any surprises!

If our facility is not covered by the student’s carrier, you might inquire about the possibility of paying for a special “rider” to the policy which would extend his/her coverage to care obtained from our providers.

We do perform courtesy billing of insurance for students who have healthcare coverage but any charges not covered by insurance are the student’s responsibility. Please refer to our Business and Insurance Office page for more details.

Release of Medical Information

WHS is compliant with HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). KU Students are considered as adults and therefore must authorize us to disclose information to family members, guardians, etc. An exception may be made if the student is under the age of 18 and considered a minor. But even then, Kansas law provides certain privacy protections for minors seeking treatment under specific circumstances. Naturally, we will notify the student’s Emergency Contact in the event we are providing emergency treatment.

Emergency Care

WHS is not an Emergency Room, however, we have highly skilled physicians and we can and will stabilize the patient until an ambulance arrives and transfers him/her to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Parents' To-Do List to Prepare your Jayhawk

Ensure that your student has complied with all immunization requirements! Failing to do so will result in an enrollment hold on future semesters.

Contact your student’s health insurance carrier to ask how they will manage any claims received from WHS.

Health insurance coverage varies greatly by each individual plan. It is the patient’s responsibility to know his/her specific health insurance coverage regarding benefits at Watkins Health Services (WHS). PLEASE help your student understand their health insurance by reviewing the basics of the health plan together so that your student knows what to expect when accessing healthcare. If necessary, WHS recommends that parents or students call or email their health insurance company to:

Find out if WHS is considered an in-network provider with your plan. Our address: 1200 Schwegler Dr., Lawrence, KS 66045

Questions? Just ask! We are here to help both parents and students make the most of their health insurance. Please call the WHS Business Office at 785-864-9520 and a staff member will happily assist you.

Complete the online Health History form within the patient portal:

Log Into myWHS (Note: After the student has obtained a login for the KU network it will take 72 hours or less for that login to be recognized by our portal.)

Once logged into the portal, click on the “Forms” tab in the left side margin. This will open a page showing forms to be completed, including the Health History Form. PLEASE help the student in completing this information because s/he may not remember all significant health events or family history.

While in this Forms tab, please have the student read and acknowledge the Notice of Privacy Practices and the Treatment Agreement.

Complete the Insurance form. Give your student a copy of any cards for insurance, lab tests and prescription medications to keep on him/her at all times!